Floribunda rose plant named &#39;Meizebul&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Floribunda rose plant is provided which abundantly forms clusters of attractive double lightly fragrant blossoms that possess a very stable pink coloration. Such blossoms display a light fragrance. The plant exhibits a regular, compact and bushy growth habit, forms very dense dark green semi-glossy foliage, and possesses very good disease resistance. The new variety is particularly well suited for providing colorful ornamentation in the landscape.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Rosa hybrida/Floribunda Rose Plant

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. Meizebul

This is a Continuation of U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.12/216,129, filed Jun. 30, 2008, which is a Continuation of U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 11/360,911, filed Feb. 24, 2006 (nowabandoned), which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/870,155, filed Jun. 18, 2004 (now abandoned), which is a Continuationof U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/947,568, filed Sep. 7, 2001(now abandoned).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Rosa hybrida variety of Floribunda rose plant was created byartificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previouslyhad been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) of the newvariety was the ‘Delceli’ variety (non-patented in the United States).The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was the ‘Meidragelac’ variety(non-patented in the United States). The parentage of the new varietycan be summarized as follows:

‘Delceli’ variety×‘Meidragelac’ variety.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new variety of Floribunda rose plant of thepresent invention possesses the following combination ofcharacteristics:

-   -   (a) forms on an abundant basis clusters of attractive double        lightly fragrant blossoms that are of a very stable pink        coloration,    -   (b) exhibits a regular, compact and bushy growth habit,    -   (c) forms attractive very dense dark green semi-glossy foliage,        and    -   (d) is particularly well suited for growing as ornamentation in        parks and gardens.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andis particularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety of the present invention can be readily distinguishedfrom its parental varieties. For instance, the ‘Delceli’ variety islesser floriferous and forms salmon flowers with a silver reverse havingno fragrance and approximately 23 petals. The ‘Meidragelac’ varietyforms smaller flowers having approximately 30 petals that are orange-redwith a lighter reverse.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Franceby a number of routes, including budding, grafting, and cuttage. Asexualcharacteristics of the new variety are stable and are strictlytransmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation toanother.

The new variety has been named the ‘Meizebul’ variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying FIG. 1 shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical plants of the new variety with foliage and blossoms in variousstages of opening. The rose plants of the new variety were two years ofage and were observed during June while budded on Rosa froebelliunderstock and growing outdoors at Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The description is based onthe observation of two year-old plants during September while budded onRosa froebelli understock and growing outdoors at Le Cannet des Maures,Var, France. The coloration in common terms precedes reference to thechart in some instances.

-   Class: Floribunda.-   Plant:    -   -   Height.—approximately 90 to 100 cm on average at the end of            the growing season.        -   Width.—approximately 80 cm on average at the end of the            growing season.        -   Habit.—regular, compact and bushy.-   Branches:    -   -   Color.—young stems: medium green, Yellow-Green Group 146B,            and more or less suffused with Greyed-Purple Group 183B. —            adult wood: medium green, Yellow-Green Group 146B, and            lightly suffused with near Greyed-Purple Group 183B.        -   Thorns.—size: medium. — quantity: on young stems commonly            approximately 3 on average over a 10 cm stem length, and on            adult wood commonly approximately 6 on average over a 10 cm            stem length. — shape: slightly concave. — color: near            Greyed-Purple Group 183C on young stems and adult wood.-   Leaves:    -   -   Stipules.—adnate, pectinate, and narrow.        -   Size.—a five-leaflet leaf commonly is approximately 13.6 cm            in length on average including the petiole, and            approximately 12.6 cm in width at the widest point.        -   Leaflets.—number: 3, 5, and 7. — shape: ovate with a narrow            tip and an obtuse base. — size: a terminal leaflet commonly            is approximately 6.8 cm in length on average and            approximately 4.1 cm in width on average. — serration:            regular. — color when young: on the upper surface near            Yellow-Green Group 146A suffused with Greyed-Purple Group            183B, and on the under surface near Yellow-Green Group 146B            suffused with Greyed-Purple Group 183B. — color when mature:            on the upper surface near Yellow-Green Group 146A, and on            the under surface near Green Group 146B. — texture: firm. —            general appearance: very dense, dark green, and semi-glossy            foliage. — stems: approximately 40 to 50 cm in length on            average.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number of flowers.—usually 6 to 15 flowers per stem.        -   Peduncle.—near Yellow-Green Group 144A and amply suffused            with Greyed-Purple Group 183B, medium in size, glandular,            typical in strength, commonly bears tiny prickles, and            approximately 5 cm in length on average.        -   Sepals.—upper surface: near Yellow-Green Group 144A and very            lightly suffused with Greyed-Purple Group 183B. — under            surface: near Yellow-Green Group 145B. — configuration:            elongated and commonly lacking extensions. — texture:            glandular.        -   Buds.—shape: conical. — size: medium. — length:            approximately 2 cm on average. — color upon opening: upper            surface: Scarlet, near Red Group 43B and 43C. under surface:            Neyron Rose, near Red Group 55B and 55C.        -   Flower.—shape: double and flattened when fully open. —            diameter: commonly approximately 9 cm on average. — stem            length: commonly approximately 60 cm on average. — color            (when opening begins): upper surface: Scarlet, near Red            Group 43B and 43C. under surface: Neyron Rose, near Red            Group 55B and 55C. — color (when blooming): upper surface:            Carmine Rose, near Red Group 52C. under surface: Neyron            Rose, near Red Group 55B and 55C. upper surface: Carmine            Rose, near Red Group 52C. under surface: Neyron Rose, near            Red Group 55B and 55C. — stamen number: approximately 52 on            average, and regularly arranged around the styles. —            filament color: near Yellow Group 13A. — anther color: near            yellow-Orange Group 16A. — pollen: present in very sparse            quantity and pale yellow in coloration. — pistil number:            approximately 34 on average. — style color: near Yellow            Group 1B. — stigma color: near yellow Group 8D. — fragrance:            light. — lasting quality: very long on the plant. A flower            commonly lasts approximately 8 to 10 days on the plant on            average depending upon the environmental conditions. The            longevity of the flowers when cut and placed in a vase has            not been evaluated since the variety is primarily intended            to provide placed in a vase has not been evaluated since the            variety is primarily intended to provide attractive            ornamentation while growing outdoors. — petal shape:            cordate. — petal margin: rounded and undulated. — petal            number: approximately 24 to 28 on average. — receptacle:            medium green.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—very strong and vigorous.        -   Blooming.—abundant.        -   Resistance to diseases.—very good with respect to Black            Spot.        -   Aptitude to bear fruit.—very weak.

1. A new and distinct variety of Floribunda rose plant characterized bythe following combination of characteristics: (a) forms on an abundantbasis clusters of attractive double lightly fragrant blossoms that areof a very stable pink coloration, (b) exhibits a regular, compact andbushy growth habit, (c) forms attractive very dense dark greensemi-glossy foliage, and (d) is particularly well suited for growing asornamentation in parks and gardens; substantially as herein shown anddescribed.